[2] The mosque was built by a local community of immigrants and their descendants from the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Lebanon and Syria.

[3] In 1991, the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased the building, refurbished it and restored its status as a Muslim cultural center.

The effort was mainly organized by the local Muslim community led by Imam Taha Tawil and Dr. Thomas B. Irving.

The Mother Mosque stands in a quiet neighborhood, flanked by houses on both sides, with a small marker off of First Avenue pointing the way to the site.

[1] Floods in June 2008 filled the mosque's basement with 10 feet of water, resulting in the loss of the extensive collection of books, archival records, and artifacts stored there.